This appointment was to have far-reaching results; it at once destroyed all harmony in the Ministry itself.  The rest of the Ministers were Liberals.  Roon was a strong Conservative.  He was appointed professedly merely as a departmental Minister, but he soon won more confidence with the Regent than all the others.  He was a man of great energy of character and decision in action.  The best type of Prussian officer, to considerable learning he joined a high sense of duty founded on deep-rooted and simple religious faith.  The President of the Ministry had practically retired from political life and the Government had no longer a leader.  Roon’s introduction was in fact the beginning of all the momentous events which were to follow.  But for him there would have been no conflict in the Parliament and Bismarck would never have become Minister.

At the beginning of 1860 the project of law embodying the proposals for army reform was laid before the Lower House.  It was ordered by them in accordance with the practice to be referred to a small Committee.

The proposals consisted of (a) an increase in the number of recruits to be raised each year, (b) a lengthening of the term of service with the colours, (c) an alteration in the relations of the Landwehr to the rest of the army.

The Committee appointed to consider these reforms accepted the first, but rejected the second and third.  They asserted that the three years’ service with the colours was not necessary, and they strongly disliked any proposal for interfering with the Landwehr.  The report of the Committee was accepted by the House.  It was in vain that the more far-seeing members of the Liberal party tried to persuade their leaders to support the Government; it was in vain that the Ministers pointed out that the Liberal majority had been elected as a Government majority, and it was their duty to support Ministers taken from their own party.  The law had to be withdrawn and the Government, instead, asked for a vote of nine million thalers, provisionally, for that year only, as a means of maintaining the army in the state to which it had been raised.  In asking for this vote it was expressly stated that the principles of the organisation should be in no wise prejudiced.

“The question whether in future a two or three years’ service shall be required; whether the period with the Reserve shall be extended; in what position the Landwehr shall be placed—­all this is not touched by the present proposal.”

On this condition the House voted the money required, but for one year only.  The Government, however, did not keep this pledge; the Minister of War simply continued to carry out the reorganisation in accordance with the plan which had been rejected; new regiments were formed, and by the end of the year the whole army had been reorganised.  This action was one for which the Prince and Roon were personally responsible; it was done while the other Ministers were away from Berlin, and without their knowledge.